Ziva's Farewell
by zivvie
Summary: So Ziva's farewell begins... Characters (since there is a limit of 4) Ziva, Tony, Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Jimmy and Ducky.
1. Abby

She looked around to make sure she had everything she needed and sighed deeply. This wasn't any easy decision but she had to do it, after everything that happened. Ziva closed the box and turned around. But no one was standing behind her. The bullpen was empty. It was late and people needed to go home, didn't they?

She grabbed her purse and headed towards Abby's lap.

"Ziva", Abby greeted her happily.

Abby quickly switched from happiness to concern.

"What's wrong?"

Once again Ziva sighed.

"There is something I need to tell you"

Abby's eye widened.

"I'm leaving", Ziva answered quickly.

Abby's eyes started to tear up and a hand pressed agains her mouth.

"Why?"

Ziva looked down.

"I can't stay after everything that happened"

"But.."

"But what, Abby?"

"What about you and Tony?"

"Somehow we will work it out", Ziva mumbled.

-Liar, liar, liar, LIAR, as if!- the voice inside her head yelled.

Arms wrapped around her body and she could feel Abby's tears run down on her neck.

"Shh", Ziva whispered and rubbed Abby's back.

"You can't leave us, leave me", Abby cried.

"I'm so sorry, Abs"

"You can't leave, please don't leave me"

Ziva's grip tightened. After Abby's tears had died down Ziva put both hands on each side of Abby's face.

"We are going to stay in contact, I promise"

"Really?", Abby asked and wiped away the tear that had snicked its way out of the corner of her eye.

Ziva nodded. After a few more minutes which felt like hours, it was time to say goodbye.

"I love you, little lotus blossom", Ziva said and tried to smile.

"Call me as soon as you are safe okay?"

Ziva nodded and walked out of Abby's lap before turning around for the last time, memorizing every inch of the lab. Stepping onto the elevator she hit the button to the first floor but immediately switched the emergency flip. A few tears rolled down her cheeks but she wipped them away almost immediately. She couldn't allow herself to cry in the elevator, not when the most hurtful goodbye was still on her list.


	2. McGee

Reaching the first floor, the her sadness turned into nausea. She got Abby down the list, now it was time for Tim. He wasn't sitting on his desk. So she decided to visit the men's room, which she occasionally did in the past. A smile spread across her face, as she recalled that one time she went there and Tony was singing. That day they talked for real. But that's another story. She needed to talk to Tim now, not Tony.

"Ziva", McGee said casually, once her face popped in.

"We need to talk", she replied.

"About?", Tim asked, not caring that they were in the men's room.

"You might want to wash your hands first"

A small laugh escaped his lips and he walked over to the sink.

"So", he began once his hands got dry.

Ziva leaned her back against the wall.

"I'm leaving", she said and looked down.

"I know.. You haven't been yourself for the past weeks"

"That noticable?"

McGee nooded.

"And I thought I was doing a good job at hiding it"

"You don't have to hide anything you should know that by now"

"I do but I guess I am falling back into old patterns"

"I can't blame you after everything that happened"

"I'm sorry, Tim"

"It's okay, you just have to answer me one question"

"That is?"

"Will you come back?"

"I honestly don't know but I guess I wont"

"Does Tony know?", he asked and basically forced her to look up.

"Not yet"

McGee nodded.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Israel for a little vacation"

"Am I allowed to visit you?"

"Of course, Tim", Ziva replied and smiled.

He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you, Mossad hunting dog"

They both laughed for a second, then Ziva growled and both of them had to let go of each other before half colapsing on the floor.

"Do you know where Jimmy is?"

"Autopsy", McGee replied with a chuckle.

"I'm going to miss you", Ziva said and hugged Tim for the last time, before making her way out of the men's room and turning around to wave at him.

2 down, 4 to go.


	3. Jimmy

"Jimmy?", Ziva asked and entered the room.

"Hey Ziva"

"I need to tell you something"

"Okay, what's going on?"

"I'm leaving NCIS"

Jimmy's eyes widened and he looked around but Ducky was nowhere to be found.

"W-why?" He asked.

"Because under the given circumstances, I decided it would be the best for me to leave"

"Do you consider returning soon?"

Ziva shook her head.

"Okay, and what are your future plans?"

"Going back to Israel"

"Mossad?"

Ziva shrugged.

"If there is anything I can do, let me know okay?"

Ziva nodded.

"Maybe Breena and I could visit you, if you don't mind"

"I'd love to see you guys" Ziva replied with a smile.

"We will come as soon as you allow visitors"

The smile on her face widened.

"Breena is dying to go to Israel, ever since I told her about you", he laughed.

"We talked about it during the dinner party last year. She seemed pretty thrilled"

"She asks like every second day when we will be able to go"

"I can imagine"

Ziva looked down at her watch.

"You want to talk to Ducky don't you?"

"Yeah, do you know where we is?"

"He went home about 30 minutes ago"

Ziva sighed.

"I guess I'll call him now"

"I'll leave you two alone now, good night Ziva", Jimmy said and hugged her tightly.

"Goodbye Jimmy and tell Breena that you guys can come soon"

"I will!", he replied with a big smile on his face and walked out of the door, waving at her the entire time.

Ziva grabbed her phone out of her purse and dialed Ducky's number, hoping it wasn't too late to call him.


	4. Ducky

"Ziva, what a pleasure to her your voice so late"

"Hey Ducky"

"You sound worried, is everything alright?"

"I was just worrying if it's not too late to call"

"You can always call. Is there any specific reason you called?"

"Well, I-I am leaving NCIS"

She thought after the 3rd time it would be easier but that wasn't the case.

"Are you sure?"

"I guess"

"Do you think you aren't able to work whatever is making you leave out?"

"Not this time"

"Did Vance approve?"

"He said it was my decision"

"Don't you think that you and Tony could work it out?"

Ziva sighed and looked down at her shoes.

"It's complicated and I honestly don't know if I want to do that"

"Does your mind tell you that or is it your heart?"

"Mind, Ducky"

"All I can say is that you should listen to you heart, it's right, most of the time ", he replied.

"I know but I doubt that I'll be able to stay at time longer"

"That bad between you two?"

"It has been for the past months, and it's making me so angry and tired. Tired of fighting for something that I am not sure is worth fighting for"

"You have been struggeling during the past 8 years. Anothny DiNozzo might not be the easiest guy but he really cares about you. When you went to continue Michael's mission, he spent hours figuring out where you are"

Ziva felt a tug in the pit of her stomach and the vision of the three of them back in Somalia.

"_Why are you here?"_

_"Couldn't live without you I guess" _

"Did you hear what I said?", Ducky said and interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said think about if for another night"

"I can't, it's too late now"

"So mind over matter?"

"Mind over matter", Ziva repeated.

"Call me if you changed your mind"

"I will, goodbye Ducky"

"Goodbye, Ziva David, we'll miss you and I really hope you'll return"

"I appreciate it Ducky", Ziva replied.

"Goodbye, Duckman"

They ended the phone call and Ziva's glance scanned the room. Again memorizing every inch. Every inch she will miss. She walked up to the autopsy table and brushed her fingers over it. So many hours of advice from Ducky and asking what the cause of death was. All past events. Past events she never wants to forget. Her fingers brushed against of the cold table, leaving fingerprints behind. She ran a hand through her hair and mentally prepared herself for the conversation with Gibbs. She knew where she would find him, later she would come back and maybe find Tony sitting on his desk in the middle of the night.


	5. Gibbs

She opened the door and made her way down to his basement.

"Ziva", Gibbs acknowledged her.

"We need to talk", Ziva replied and walked down the stairs.

Gibbs pushed a chair towards her.

"I'm going to leave NCIS"

"Remember rule #5?"

Ziva nooded.

"But I'm serious... I can't stay in the team anymore"

"What did DiNozzo do?"

"Nothing bad, I promise"

Gibbs looked at her sceptically.

"It's my fault.. I messed up between us"

"Sometimes you are wrong..."

"I still don't like the fact that you two broke rule #12 but the heart wants what the heart wants"

Ziva chuckled.

"What?"

"Ducky said that too"

"It's true. You guys have been dancing around each other since the first year you joined our team"

"It was that obvious wasn't it?"

"Ya think?"

_Cherish each other, that's all I'm saying. Everyday _- She thought.

"Anyways, I made me decision and we will see what the future brings"

Ziva got up from her chair and so did Gibbs.

She moved forward and his arms wrapped her up into a tight hug.

"You know, I'll miss my Ziver and I hope you did the right thing. If you want to come back, I wouldn't say no but I wouldn't say yes either"

Ziva looked up at him. His eyes were sad and at the same time they were full of love. Love for her that she will miss. The man closest to a father she ever had, almost crying in her arms.

"I'm sorry Jethro", Ziva whispered, chocking back the tears.

Gibbs stroke over her hair and kissed her forehead.

"It's okay to cry, Ziver", he replied.

Ziva wipped away her tears and looked up to him once more.

"Thank you for everything you've done"

Gibbs smiled down at her. She hugged him again and inhaled his scent. Old Spice and sawdust.

"Good night, Jethroy" Ziva said and untagled herself from their hug.

She turned around and climbed two stairs at a time. She turned around the look at him for the last time.

"Night, kid"

Ziva once again blinked back the tears and turn around the leave the house she felt safe in.


	6. Tony

Back in her car she thought about what she would say to him. Make him understand that she has to go. That she has to leave them behind, for good. With shaky hands she started her car and drove off. Back in the bullpen he was nowhere to be found. Only her box was sitting on her chair, waiting for her to be picked up. She checked the men's room but he wasn't there as well. She grabbed her box and walked towards the elevator.

"Zee-vah?"

She stopped and held the door open with one hand.

"Where are you going?"

"Home"

"By home you mean Israel don't you?"

She nodded.

"So I guess, you quit this job?"

"I'm sorry", Ziva replied.

"Don't be, I was the one who messed up"

"That's not true and we both know that"

"I didn't notice how unhappy you have been for the past weeks until Tim told me"

Her heart sank and she looked down.

"It's getting late", she replied.

"What happened to the post-elevator us. You know, the post-elevator us. The open-book, bearing our souls, telling each other all kinds of...personal stuff."

"And I appreciate it but who are we fooling, Tony?"

"Was any of this real?"

"No", she heard the voice in her head again, yelling loudly- LIAR,LIAR, LIAR.

But she had to say that, so she could make her way to the finale exit. She pressed a button on the elevator and picked up her box from the ground.

"I love you and I'm sorry", the tears began to stream down her face.

"Ani Ohev Otach", Tony replied as the doors of the elevators closed.

This was the end, the end of 8 years full of fun, drama and sadness.

She looked up and more tears poured her face while noticing Tony who was looking after her from the bullpen. When did they start to fall apart and how did they end up here?

The pain in her chest was taking her breath away, making it hard for her to see anything through her tears. How did she get here? Why was she leaving the only place close to a home, close to a family? Because she couldn't keep working with her partner? Working with the whole team? Was it because deep down inside of her, she couldn't forget what happened during the last 8 years? First Ari, then Michael, after that Somalia, E. J. Barrett , the bombing, her father's death, Tony and her in the car accident, them quitting there jobs to save Gibbs and now? The breaking of rule #12, them becoming a couple and over the months drifting away... Was it a mistake to start a relationship with her partner? Their work wasn't jeopardized but Ziva knew that despite the love that was there, Tony was still Tony. And during the past months they both took a step back. Falling back into old habits. Tony avoiding their problems, Ziva shutting down. Was it because of the lack of work? Or simply because they were drifting away and falling into old habits.

She didn't know and that's what made her quit. She wanted to get away from everything, for a while at least. Be close to her father again, Ari, Thali and her mother.

Ziva placed the box on the passenger seat.

"Kol Tuv, NCIS"

She turned her head to look at the building for a last time before starting her engine and driving off into the unknown.


End file.
